All of my switches are appx 4yrs old and see regular use here
in Vegas.(except for the rear wiper) Several months ago it got
harder and harder to put the windows up on the driver side. I
eventually had to push down hard and at a "certain"
angle to get it to close. VERY FRUSTRATING. A week or two after
the first symtoms appeared, the same thing started to happen with
the passenger side. Eventually it got to the point where it was
next to impossible to get either one working.

Before looking into new swicthes, i took an old one i had
laying around apart. Practicing on that one with success, i moved
to my car.

Below is what i have found.

With a small
narrow flat blade screw driver, remove the switch from the
console. By pusing in the back you can push the spring steel clip
fwd(near my thumb above) and cause the switch to be released from
the console. You will probably have to remove the side panels on
either side and UNPLUG the assoc. switch's cable to get enough
workable slack

. With the
same small screw driver gently pry the "rocking" switch
cover off the switch itself. BE CARFUL old switches may be
delicate.

....next, pull
the two copper plates out.

..use the
screwdriver to gently pry open the switch. This is a bit of a
chore and you may chew up the plastic a bit...No big deal. Try
not to break the tabs

..this is
whats inside! The plastic looks more mutalated than it really is.
It went back together just fine.

.....side
profile of the switch, pressed in the closed /working postition
by my fingers..

The drawings below are from my CAD program to hopefully better
show whats going on

the basic switch...

GOOD SWITCH..AS NEW, OPEN

With time the contacts errode(RED area) and corrode, both
which cause problems.(ABOVE)

...the problem
crops up when you push the switch down and the contacts no longer
touch...or...if they do, they are too dirty. The problem also
lies in the edge of the plastic casing shown in RED (above).
After a period of time the bottom contact becomes
pitted...basically one deep..big..concave surface as shown above.
Also, at some pont because of the interference from the plastic
edge of the casing, the contacts no longer meet. This usually
happens when it starts to rain....or...you need your window at
the drive through!!! : )

...The
solution is twofold.

1) use some sandpaper to clean off the contacts.

2)and...if you have to, take an exacto kife and shave off part
of the switch casing near the contact. This will allow them to
touch and overcome the deep pit that was created.. This is what
im doing above. Looking at a similar area near my exacto on the
other end of the switch you can see a dark grey/black circle,
this is a contact that has corroded and worn away (like i have
depicted in the drawings).

...this shows
the edge of the switch's plastic casing in blue . The red area at
the top is an exageration of where the material needs to be
sliced off to allow the switch to fully close, make contact and
thus allow your window/sunroof to work.

Once all done put it back together....be sure it works first.
OBVIOUSLY!!